Ginner

Tend machines that dry, clean, and separate cotton lint from seeds.

Quick Stats

Salary Range

$17,000 – $38,000

Data from U.S. Department of Labor

What do Ginners do?

Tends variety of machines, such as dryers, cleaners, gin stands, and linters, that dry, clean, and separate cotton lint from seed and waste material: Slides hand into seed chutes and removes accumulations of seed. Observes saw ribs in gin stand and linter screens to detect clogging. Removes cotton manually or using ginstick. Opens gas supply valve and pushes alarm switch to warn workers that machinery is starting. Pushes switches to start separator, vacuum, and trash fans; seed augers; linters; cleaners; and other auxiliary equipment. Turns control knobs on automatic dryers to ignite fire and set drying temperature. Ascertains seed-handling instructions from seed tags, pulls ropes to open gates, allowing seeds to be deposited in hoppers according to instructions, and resets automatic seed-weighing counter. Pulls ropes to open suction gates and start suction that controls flow of cotton through equipment. Listens to sounds of running machinery, observes flow of seeds and cotton, feels cotton sample, and sniffs air to detect equipment malfunction and maladjustment and burning cotton. Stops machine and removes obstructions, adjusts dryer temperature, and regulates cotton feed to correct malfunctions, achieve optimum drying of cotton, and maintain maximum ginning capacity of machines. Closes suction gates after last bale of order has been ginned. Records seed weight and bale weight on report form. Periodically replaces worn and defective parts on machines. Lubricates motors, bearings, and other friction surfaces. May be identified with machines tended or with work performed, such as linting, cleaning, drying, and ginning.

Should I be a Ginner?

You should have
a
high school
degree or higher and share these traits:

Levelheaded:
You hold your emotions in check, even in tough situations.

Logical Thinker:
You take a step-by-step approach to analyze information and solve problems.

Calm Under Pressure:
You keep your cool when dealing with highly stressful situations.

Also known as:
Cotton Ginner

How to become a Ginner

Most Ginners have no higher education and get on-the-job training. Think about earning a Certificate or Bachelor's degree to increase your competitiveness in the field.